(WAND) - A pair of local football phenoms will keep their talents in central Illinois following their graduation. Mt. Zion's Brayden Trimble and Maroa-Forsyth's Grant Smith officially signed on to continue their playing careers at the University of Illinois.

"Illinois being family-based, all-together its a great decision," Smith said following a brief ceremony.

The duo led their teams on historic postseason runs, bringing them to the Class 2A and Class 4A state championship games, where they finished runners up. In the classroom, Trimble and Smith are equally as dedicated, earning high honors throughout their academic journeys.

Ultimately, the early interest from Bret Bielema and the Illini coaching staff is what kept Trimble close to home. As the Braves' star wide receiver continued to make a name for himself, other schools attempted to pluck him from his verbal commitment.

"Illinois has wanted me from day one," Trimble said. "I've asserted what I can do, but I've been doing this my whole career. Illinois has seen that from the get-go and not really switching up on me and has shown me that they want me."

Thanks to his academic standing, Trimble says he will graduate early in order to enroll at the U-of-I and begin their weightlifting program in hopes of gaining mass and earning playing time as a freshman.

As for Smith, the engineering student will fit right at home in Champaign-Urbana. He was a key target for the Trojans as a tight end, showcasing his blocking and catching abilities wherever he was at on the field. The proximity to home and opportunity to pursue the career he's wanted throughout high school made UIUC the perfect match.

"This Maroa-Forsyth community revolving around football, it's just great to have everyone behind me," Smith said. 

In total, Illinois football added 21 new players to the roster on signing day. They earned an average rating of 86.85 from 247Sports, the highest rated class in program history dating back to 2001.

Copyright 2024. WAND TV. All rights reserved.